Go Back
Undhiyu sabji served on plate

Undhiyu

Undhiyu is the king of Gujarati vegetable dishes, a one-pot casserole traditionally cooked underground in earthen pots. It's a complex and celebratory dish made with a medley of winter vegetables like surti papdi, purple yam, sweet potatoes, and baby eggplants, all stuffed with a spiced coconut-coriander masala. The name "Undhiyu" comes from the Gujarati word "undhu," meaning upside down, referring to the traditional method of cooking.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Vegetables:
  • 1 cup Surti Papdi or valor lilva, stringed
  • ½ cup fresh pigeon pea seeds tuver lilva
  • ½ cup purple yam kand, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ½ cup sweet potato shakariya, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 6-8 small baby potatoes
  • 6-8 baby eggplants ringan
  • 1 raw banana cut into thick pieces
For the Methi Muthiya (Fenugreek Dumplings):
  • 1 cup fresh fenugreek leaves methi, finely chopped
  • ½ cup gram flour besan
  • 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
  • A pinch of turmeric powder asafoetida, and baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sugar salt, and ginger-chili paste
  • Oil for deep-frying
For the Masala Stuffing:
  • 1 cup fresh grated coconut
  • 1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • ½ cup roasted peanuts coarsely crushed
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 inches ginger grated
  • 5-6 green chilies crushed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon coriander-cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
For the Curry:
  • ½ cup oil traditionally groundnut oil
  • 1 teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
  • ½ teaspoon asafoetida hing

Equipment

  • Large, heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker
  • Mixing bowls
  • Grinder for masala
  • Knife and cutting board

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Muthiya: In a bowl, mix all ingredients for the muthiya (except oil for frying)
  2. to form a firm dough. Shape into small ovals and deep-fry until golden brown. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the Masala: In another bowl, combine all ingredients for the masala stuffing. Mix
  4. well.
  5. Prepare the Vegetables: Make crisscross slits in the baby potatoes and eggplants. Stuff
  6. them generously with the prepared masala.
  7. Layer the Undhiyu: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker, heat the oil. Add
  8. carom seeds and asafoetida.
  9. Create the first layer with Surti papdi and tuver lilva. Sprinkle some of the leftover masala
  10. on top.
  11. Arrange the stuffed potatoes, eggplants, purple yam, sweet potato, and raw banana
  12. pieces as the next layer. Sprinkle more masala.
  13. Top with the fried methi muthiya.
  14. Sprinkle any remaining masala and about 1 cup of water from the sides.
  15. Cook the Undhiyu: Cover the pot tightly. Cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes without
  16. stirring. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 3-4 whistles on medium-low heat.
  17. Let the pressure release naturally. Check if the vegetables are tender.
  18. Gently mix the Undhiyu before serving.
  19. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with puris or rotis.

Notes

The key to authentic Undhiyu is using fresh, seasonal winter vegetables.
● Be generous with the oil; it helps cook the vegetables evenly and prevents them from
burning at the bottom.
● Do not stir the Undhiyu while it's cooking, as the vegetables are delicate and might break.
The layering is crucial.